Wood-spoked steering wheel



Patented Sept. Y13, 1927.

AnoLrrz s. Jones, or kontlenen,

THE 'toenam-Emana' GAN. f

Application led November 12, 1823, Serial No. 674,166;

This invention relates to Woody spoked Wheels particularly steeringWheels for use in automobiles,airplanes, etc., and the ob a'Wood-spoked, Wood-y great strength and neat ject is to Secure f rnnnied,Wheel of appearance that can be finished in conform-y in strengthparticularly at the hub at Whichr point the spokes are usuallyof'greater Width than'the body ofthe spoke. Being made of straightgrained ivood, these ends have a 15 tendency to split by twisting strainto which the Vriin may be subjected. This invention seeks to overcomesuch defect by providing a wooden hub to which the spokes are con-vnected lthereby securing greater strength at 2Q the center. Afurth'erobject of the invention is to provide a instal hub to which theWood hub is secured, the said metal hub being designed to strengthen theWoodvstructure at the hub The principal feature of the invention isinthe Wood hub which is preferably forined ofa plurality of parts lying incross grained relation and to Which the inner ends of the spokes arevconnected. These general objects vand the several novel features ofconstruction of a Wood s poked Wheel are hereinafter inore fullydescribed and claimed, and the preferred construction of Wheel embodyingniy invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in *Which- Fig. l isa plan view of niyirnproved'wood spoked Wheel.

Fig. 2'is a view from the bottom side showing the assembled Wood andrnetal hubs.

[3 isa section'taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l through the hub.

Fig. 4: is a section faken on line 1 -4lof Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is asection taken on line 5-'5 of Figf Fig.v 6 is a detail inperspective of a part of the Woodhub showing the recess for the spokeends.`

yirnproved Wheel consists of a rirn l .preferably offlvood, having fourlspokes in the typeof wheel shown, the outerfends of which, inay besecured to the rim in any ap-y proved'or Wellknovn manner usually'beinginsert-ible in a recess formed in the riin. The Spider Calais@ oftha-Wooden heb indicated.

*etere l N naar ironie, Assis-Noa, BY mesita assreNMEnrs, To MFG. oo.7Von ALMA, arresteren, a coeroae'rron orivrronr- :gluedtogether and thengrain of the centerv preventing fracture thereof.-

In any flange and arms Gon the lower side extend y tenta) eretta.

WOOD-SEOKED STEERING VVI-ItEli.

aenewed January 25, 1927*.

generally at 2 and the spokes Se?) etc. The hubis preferably inade up'ofrthree parts ci,V b and fc rviththe gr in of `theadjacent'partsrunning in diderent'directions, the several parts being glued togetherand clamped as hereinafterV described.

y i The hub lneinber 2 inaybeinade froni long strips With the parts cutinto rectangular pieces of `the/desired size. Thestrips are cut intoparts ofsubstantially equal siZSf rectangularY in forni, andthe centralnieniber is then `grooved on each.` side as Will-"be understood fromFigs. 3 and 6 to receivethe tongue 4 of a spoke 3 and preferablythe thatof thespoke end. The spoke ends .are each provided with a tongue `setinto the groove on Veach one sideof the 'centralwoodeiih huband thespoke ends atthe base of the tongue are of the same thickness as the hubabutting .thereagainst' andfthe inner end of each tongue abuttingagainst thebottoin of the groove `With the spokes held in place by theriin. The'tong'ued ends of thesookes areY glued in place. As the'spokes4 are secured tothe Wooden hub,the spokes and hub mayY befinished 'tov 4the, general forni shown in Fig. 1'.' It is practicallyimpossible by any ordinary strain to which theWheel may bei subjected inuse to split the spokes from the hub.V centrallyap'ertured to receive almetal hub 5 Which has a central aperture counterbored at the lower end 6to fit. the steering shaft Which niay be shaped in any desired manner topermit! the AWheel to be secured to the shaft or like nieinber which itis desired to turn. case this hub 5 is provided VWitha ing beyond theioint between eachV spoke-3 and the VWooden hub 2, as Will be understoodfrom Fig. 3. Screws 7 are utilized to V'se'- cure the `arms 6v to theWood spoke 3 and this metal arm overlapping thejointbetvveen the Woodenhub and the 'f spoke greatly strengthens 'the spiderenabling` to ,withstandexcessive strains. 1 In a. Wood hub'rnade upof laniinations thereis a tendency for the laminations to part and to` eliininate'suchundesirable condition.y the several .partsl of the Wood vhub are boundtogether bynieans ofa ring 8 set into an annular recess in the` upperlneinber cef the hub and .screws-x9 are insertible through the ring andthe useveral Wooden-hub blockv is diagonal to inner ends ofthe ThisWooden hub 2 is ice parte and threaded into the lower langge ot theniel'al huh. AS previously Stated, thee-e tongues l are `fined in iplaeein the central grooved member o olf the Wooden hnh fstrne ture. TheSpoke at the hai-fe olf the tonen is olf the .fs-aine thickness :is thehnli thus providing; shoulders abutting; the eide oi" the huh. By thearrangement. rotative strains; to n'hieh the wooden hnh is snlrieetedare reaiated and etrenxegtli ir; f" ered hy the attachment ot the arni Gto the spokes at a point heyond the tongue. lhese nietal arme oleoresist strains parallel to the shalt to which the wheel is altaehed.rlie, nietal linh 5 and integral arrne G :like preteialulY niade etalnniiinnn or an ahnninnin alloy Vlfor the pnrpoae et' sei-urine;,ligldness7 and the :irranggeinent proridw a wheel that is light inWeight, eonnniratireljr inexpei ire in een struction and of greatStrength particularly; at the hnh which lieretolore has heen the weakestpart oi a Wooden rsnelied steering` Wheel. ljialilitj; olf thelaniination; oli hub separating or spoke end Splitting; i, practicallyeliminated ae the wein ol the wood Forming the, spek prnmieelly Straightwith the spoke which neeted .into a Wood huh nieniher ol? Several parteshunned together and oit a character adapted to rfithstand tniStingstrains; and prevent splitting'.

ly the Structure herein deeerihed l; Seenre z Solid spoke which greatlyYto he desired in this type et Wheel as the laminated Spoliea are er)vliahle to separate lietn'een Snrtaeee. l therefore avoid the tronlilm-sincident to the nee et a laminated Wheel en lfe and Seenre the sameneatnese ott anpearanee ae with the nenal Wood #polled wheel, :ind itisalso to lie understood (although not here Shown) that therlre spokenmay have any fleeired shape, in erose eeetion and are more or lessenrred extemlingI` at an angle to the plane ole the riin aa in theordina y sti-crine' or hand Wheel haring a nietal hQnider,

Having thus 'fully deserihed my inventionv` itsV utility and inode otoperation. rhat ,l elann and deflire to ,eeenre h ij letters laf ent olfthe United States isl. A steering wheel eolnprieiinr a rin. 'ilonrwooden ano ol: in greater Width than thiel. seein-ed to the rim :it theenter ends' and extending in- Wardljv on radial linee at an angle te theplane ott the rim, each mieke haring a tongue at the inner end leas: inthielineffa and greater in Width then the body o'l" the Spoke. :i eeniralljif' anertnred Wooden hoh haring' grooves; to reeeiie the tonguesnthe spoke endey at the point oft junction of the tongues therewithahnttine; the wooden huh, and a nietal heb secured in the aperture ofAthe Wooden hub and haring; radia arnec each extending' oni'zvariillyalong one side of and attached to a spoke beyond the junction thereotwith the Wooden heb.

Lem-,ofi

A steeringv wheel relnprislng a riin, a Wooden hnh portion hernie` aCentral apertnre and a ilperiplnfal `rome interniediate the Side:enrtaees thereof,y four `wooden spokes haringv the enter ende: seein-edto the riin and the inner ends prorided with tonggnea; engaging in the`groore o'li the wooden huh, the ends of the Spokes heine' ot athiriinefl esgknal to that ot tne hnh, a metallic: hnli inf-erlihle inthi i portare et the wooden, hnl) and adapted for alteelnnent to a shaftor the likeAH the said metal hnh haring' radial arme eaeh eitmnlinevoutwardly and attached to the neder surface el a Snelle beyond thewooden hnh` a clamping rino; in the eppoeile eide ol" the metal hnliadapted to lit over the ssleeve end, and holte exteinling` l'ietween thering and the oppoeite end ot the lnetal hn ,l J). Je,

steering wheel comprising a, wooden riin, :i plurality et wooden spokessecured to the rini at the enter ende, a wooden huh `perlion haring; a@rooie to reeeive the inner endS ol* the isipokee5 seid wooden hul.)having` a central opening, :i metal Sleeve insertilile therein hai aflange and arms on one side eaeh entendi outwardly of und in Contactwith the under side of a Spoke, ineens: for l'aeteninel1 the aries tothe reeneetive spokes bevond the, Wooden huh portion, a ringl lil ting;over the sleeve on the opposite end, and meansy tor inorine; the ring'ineinher to elanip the hnh hetneen the ring); :nd meer() ll a n gre.

Steering Wheel eoniprieingY a wooden rini, a p nriilitji1 opl woodenSpoliee eeenred io the rire at the enter ends, the inner ends thereolkeine; ororided with a tone'ne, a een t1-alli' a'iertnred wooden linhnienllier having' an annular reeeee to reeeflveA the tongne, l Sleeveinsertihle in the hul) aperture and haring; n llanfle and arnie at oneend attached to a `Hooke. a ring; littingj; over the opposite end oll tle Sleere, and holte` exendinn' thronggh the ring1 and wooden hul)portion and threaded in the flange o if the sleeve.

5. It eteerinn; n'heel eoniprieing a wooden ifinx.y 'oin' wooden @pokesot greater width ther thiekness enteringl and Secured to the. rim ai theenter ends: exteinling inwardli ,se eaeh Spoke having' a tongue onrndial lol oil.l le tliielrnene: at the inner end` a wooden hnl'i harn;l a niar; inal groove to receive the ton les and a venti-nl opening, :imetal hub inertilile therein and adopted for attachnlenl to :i shalt. :ieerie?, ell luge: on the metal linlfi eaeh extendingl radialllv alongthe under side o'f a Spoke and attached thereto beyond the point of itsjunction with the hul) and ineen-i il'or clamping the Wooden hub andmetal hnh together.

(l. A steering` wheel comprising; a Wooden rim, tour Wooden spokes et lmaterially greater 1width than thieliness entering` and eeenred to therirn at, the outer ends; and ew fl l) itaaaoaei tending` inwardly-kr oni,radi-al line-'sL atan angle to, theplane of thermi, eachl spoke;having. atongue. at the` inner endroffl'ess-thiclrness. than. the bodyof: the. spoke, a. .Wooden hubsof thickness of the.V

tion and means adapted to` secure.. the Wheel:

to steering' post.

7. A steering- Wheel comprising a rim, a

Wooden huh portion having a,z centralaperture and amarginal-groove.intermediate the side, surfaces thereof, saidWooden.hub4 ,being formed ofv severalwsimilarl v.pieces Secured; to-

gether .with the` grain ofi the. adjacent@ pieces running in different'directions.,

thickness of .the hub -ivith which it` lies. in

abutting'` relation, a metallic member, secured tothey wood hub 'havinozarms each l infr.,V

against a spoke lon onefside and attached the Wooden hub. Y

8. A steering. wheel comprising a rim, a series `of Wooden spokes.havingl theI outer thereto beyond the point of abutment with Y rim, fourradial'spoles of.l wood ha ing the ends thereogtattached to the rim "andVthe inner ends formed to provide tongues, .a Wooden hub adapted toreceive the tongues and having a central aiperturej metal hub securedtothe Wooden hub Aand, having arms each lying in contact withv aspolreyand eX-, tending` beyond the pointr of junction thereof with theWoodenhub, and means for fasten4 ing' the hubs together, j

9. A steering' Wheelcomprising a Wooden rim of; rounded section, ,fourWooden yspokes having the outer ends thereot ins-ertible in and attachedto thefriinya centrally :iper-f tured Wooden hub memberformedofseveralplies of Woodythe grain of adjjent pieces runninpfvindiii'erent directions, the at the inner ends .beine1 adapted'for attacheInter-.t to lthe .voogdenhub and having parte abutting' thereagainst, ainetalhub provided with a sleeve extending` through the Wooden hub andhaving' on one end four arms each lying against the side of aspokevvith'the outer end attached thereto beyond thel Wooden hub.V and aclamping member for clamping` and maintaining the several partstogether. Y

n l0. A steering wheel comprising a Wooden rim of rounded cross section,four wooden spokes having the outer ends attached to and extendingy onradial lines with the inner ends formedto provide laterally enlargedtongues of less thickness than the spokes. a centrally apertured Woodenhub formed of three simiyto the Vplane offth-e rim, .the said; "i Y Ylraviligtongues 0f less thickness than, the

y radialf Wooden; spokes .having the outer, ends .secured Spokes larmembers, the central;V member. being groovedY to receivegthe.- tongues',a metal vsleeve inertible in the aperture of the` Wooden hubgan'd havingalia-nge` on one* end,

a ringiittingiabont thelsleev-e theopposite" end and. set into. the.hubfl'ush with the snrface thereofand: off-th. sleeve end, bolts eX-tending,

11.. A; s teeringwheel comprising@ Wooden rim member, a series orfonlHldg: SDOKQS ofV -ivood having outer endsv entering.. anjdsecured' tothe rim and extend-i f o.

body 'of the'spok at. said end', the. tong-ues being laterally enlargedvWiththe side sur.- facesof adjacent tongues abutting rele tica, acentr-ally aperture@ voeden hub grooved. to: receive the ,tongzuenv thegrain' of the Woodatthe hub` lying at. an angle to the; grainoizthetongues, amstel/'hub having. a portion exeeirdlingrthrough the apertureof the Wooden hub,l a loose ring` litting theend ofthe sleeve and boltsextendingl through the ring4 and huband engaging the opposite end oflthe sleeve binding the' parte together.Y

12.( A steering: Wheel-coniprisinga Wooden outer ends securedl tothe i'i1jti, r a Wooden hub to Whic-hthe inner. ends of the spokes aresecured, the WoodenhubV havinga central open ing, a metal hub havingapart insertible in theY opening olf the lmbjancl'erms. @Re @eil eachlvingf'valong a. spoke .and having the outerend; secured thereto beyondthe pointy through they and hub and threaded 1n the ilmlfo of thesleeve" bindng the.several vparte together.

lim

with. radial arms on @helen-.d each lyinse contact With the under.surface of a spoke and attached thereto, beyond the pOllt 0f junctionwith thehub, a ring member fitting over the opposite end of the sleeveand" movable to clamp the Wooden hub between the arms andthe ring.

14. A steering Wheel comprising' a. rim, a plurality of Wooden spokesradially ar 'ranged and secured to the rim at the outer' end, a Woodenhub portionv having a mar! groove, the inner ends of the spolres beingprovided with tongues insertible in the groove. the tongues beinglaterally enlarged With the side surface of adjacent tongues in abuttingrelation the spoke ends at the base of the tongue abutting the hub,thehub and ,said abutting spoke ends being practically ot the samethickness, and a metal member for securing the hub to a. shaft.

l5. la. steering Wheel comprising a Wooden rini, Atour Wooden spokes ofgreater Width than thickness secured to the rim at the inner end lessthan the thickness oi the spoke at the base ot' the tongue, a Wooden hubhaving a central marginal groove to receive the tongues, said hub beingot the same thickness as the spoke at the base ot the tongue and havinga. central opening. a metal hub insertible in the said central openinghaving arms on one end each lying in contact with a` spoke and attachedthereto beyond the base ot the tongue, and clamping means tto-operatingwith the metal huh to clamp the several parts together.

1G. In a` hand Wheel, a Wooden rim, a ivooden hub formed of severalplies with the grain running in ditlerent directions and having aperipheral groove and a central aperture, a` plurality ot radial spokeshaving the outer ends secured to the rim and the inner ends providedwith tongues Whose ends seat against the bottom ot the groove, thespokes at the base of the tongue being equal in thickness to thethickness oit the hub, and a metal hub insertible in the Wooden hub, andparts co-opeating thereivith to bind the several members together.

17. A. steering Wheel comprising a wooden ,rim ot rounded crosssect-ion, a series of solid Wooden spokes radially7 arranged and havingthe outer ends insertible in and attached to the rim, the inner ends otthe spokes each having a tongue` less in thickness than the thickness otthe spoke and laterally enlarged, the sido surfaces of the adjacenttongues being in abutting relation a centrally apertured wooden hubhaving a groove to receive the tongues, the hub heilig ot a thicknessequal to the spoke ends at the base of the tongues, and a metal hubinsert-ible in the Wooden hub and having a iiange at one end, a loosering fitting over the opposite end, and bolts extending between the ringand flange and through the hub bindino the several parts together.

P1 1S. A steering wheel comprising a Wooden rim of rounding crosssection, a series oi solid Wooden spokes radially arranged and havingthe outer ends attached to the rim, a centrally apertured Wooden hubtermed ot three plies ot Wood, the central ply being provided with aperipheral groove and the inner ends of the spokes having tonguesinsertible in the groove, the thickness ot a spoke at the base of thetongue being equal to the thickness of and abutting the huh, and a metalhub secured in the central aperture of the Wooden hub adapted 'forattachment to a shaft.

19. A steering Wheel comprising a Wooden rim, 'four Wooden spokes havingthe outer ends entering and secured to the rim, a ceutrally aperturedWooden hub having a peripheral groove, the inner ends ot the spokeshaving laterally enlarged tongues insertible in the groove, the sideedges ot the tongues ol adjacent spokes lying in abutting rela.- tionand a metal hub secured in the aperture ot the Wooden hub.

20. A steering Wheel comprising a. Wooden rim, wooden spokes having theouter ends secured to the rim,`a centally apertured ivooden hub having agroove in its periphery, the inner ends of the spokes being 'formed withtongues of less thickness than the spoke, the said tongue ends abuttingthe bottom of the groove and the shoulders at the point ot junction ofthe tongue with the spoke abutting the hub periphery, and a metal hubsecured in the aperture ot the Wooden hub.

2l. A steering Wheel comprising a Wooden rim, a plurality of Woodenspokes oit greater Width than thickness secured to the rim at theirouter ends, said spokes having reduced inner end portions extending intoa hub and shoulders bearing against the hub, in conibination with a hubmember having recesses to receive the reduced ends ot the spokes and asecond hub member having arms extending radially under the spokes andconnected directly thereto.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

ADOLPH G. JONES.

